Mon, 18 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Should you start an angel network? Before launching an angel network, assess your community as follows:
Research your community to see what currently exists and what must be built. Check with the local entrepreneur groups to make this assessment and get their potential support for starting an angel group. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 18 October 2021
In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall welcomes Heeten Doshi, Founder and Managing Partner at Doshi Capital Management. Headquartered in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, Doshi Capital Management, LLC ('DCM') is a private investment management firm, that was incorporated in 2011. DCM relies on its decades of extensive research in understanding different market cycles and the cause-and-effect relationships that drive asset prices. Their strategies seek to capture returns in both up and down markets while minimizing portfolio volatility and downside risk. DCM accomplishes this by creating strategies that provide true diversification—an uncorrelated strategy that diversifies away risk—and downside protection, giving their investors the opportunity to stay invested and generate absolute returns in any market cycle. DCM draws on a strong, multidisciplinary skillset, proprietary quantitative models, and decades of experience investing across a broad range of asset classes and multiple market cycles. Their ultimate goal is to generate alpha, however, their focus is to preserve their clients’ capital in any market environment through a distinctive and systematic approach to investing. Heeten manages the firm’s equity marketing timing strategy, the Doshi Systematic Strategy Fund and was formerly a senior equity strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman, where he focused on the US economy, equity market and provided investment recommendations to global institutional clients including hedge fund, asset management, and pension funds. Prior to that, Heeten worked at Morgan Stanley as an equity research analyst where he conducted deep-dive fundamental company analysis, and at Lehman Brothers where he was a derivatives trader and hedged the firm’s $14bn fixed income portfolio. Heeten has received two graduate degrees – an MS in Accounting from the University of Illinois GEIS Business School, and an MS in Management from Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Rutgers University and has obtained the CFA designation. Heeten shares with Hall what excites him now, advises entrepreneurs and investors, discusses how he sees the startup industry evolving, and explains his investment philosophy. You can visit Doshi Capital Management at www.doshicapm.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/2276082/admin/, and via telephone at 973-898-3702. You can contact Heeten via email at heeten.doshi@doshicapm.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/heetendoshi/. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Heeten_Doshi_of_Doshi_Capital_Management.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 15 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel group, it’s important to provide regular reports to the investors about the investments as well as the state of the group. For individual investments, negotiate regular updates from the startups to include the following:
For groups with a fund, provide the following information on a quarterly basis:
It’s important to set up a reporting structure so the members can keep track of the progress of both individual investments and funds. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 15 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes John Zic, Partner and Founding Team Member at EQUIAM. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, EQUIAM is a non-traditional, systematic VC firm. They use deeply researched, proprietary, data-driven algorithms to make their investment decisions. EQUIAM focuses on finding great firms and capturing the high returns associated with these bets, but they are equally invested in bringing world-class portfolio engineering practices to the private markets, mitigating risk, and increasing long-term performance. This focus, along with their proven execution capability, allows them to offer their investors diversified portfolios of private firms designed to outperform in even the most challenging environments. EQUIAM is deal-structure agnostic, tapping both primary and secondary markets for private firms. They leverage a variety of private and publicly available data streams to create a book of signals that identifies private firms positioned for outperformance. Their visibility on both historical and live-price data, combined with their logic-driven models, allows them to identify and unlock the most attractive entry and exit points for their investors. John leads several functions at EQUIAM overseeing the investment execution process, driving investment model optimization efforts, and leading core strategic initiatives. Prior to EQUIAM, John was the 6th non-founder hire at Forge. While there, he facilitated $500 Million+ of private equity secondary transactions helping to grow company revenues 300% Y-o-Y. John executed hundreds of transactions across dozens of issuers, gaining best-in-class knowledge of private secondary transaction mechanics, issuer-specific idiosyncrasies, and general private equity market dynamics. In addition to market-related activities at Forge, John led multiple data-centric initiatives including the formulation and development of the Tech30 Index, a market-cap weighted index of the 30 largest VC-backed private companies in the U.S. based upon proprietary secondary-trading marks. Prior to Forge, John spent several years in management consulting with a heavy focus on data science and big data analytics. John discusses how he sees the VC industry evolving, the biggest change he thinks we will see in the next 12 months, his investment thesis, and some of the companies he has invested in. You can visit EQUIAM at www.equiam.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/equiam/. You can contact John via email at john@equiam.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/johnzic/. __________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please follow, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 14 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. A key part of angel investing is negotiating terms with the startup. It’s important to take time to negotiate good terms for the investors in your group. Key areas to focus your negotiations include the following: Valuation - this is the most important term as it determines equity ownership and is the primary determinant of returns. Option pools and who pays for them - the options pool is important to the growth of the company as it incentivizes the team. The investors could pay for a portion of it as part of the overall negotiation. Board composition - for most companies raising a Series A, the board consists of two investors: two from the company, and one as an independent. Vesting founders’ shares - requiring a portion of the founders’ shares to vest over time ensures there will be shares available to pay for a replacement if needed. Liquidation preference - it can compensate for what the investors consider too high a valuation. Minimum amount of funding required - it’s important for the team to raise enough to achieve a meaningful milestone before the next raise. In addition to negotiating good terms, the process should maintain a good relationship with the startup. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 14 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Sarah Jennings, Director at Beyond Angel Network and Fund. As a national community for faith-driven investment and entrepreneurship, Beyond provides increased access to faith-aligned capital for founders of faith-based companies as they seek to invest in scalable, for-profit companies. Beyond's investment thesis is to invest in companies with developed products or services and early customer traction that will provide market returns to investors in addition to making a kingdom impact on culture and the marketplace. Sarah previously served as the Assistant Director for Beyond, focusing on managing investor relationships and scouting for potential deal flow. Prior to joining the network, Sarah worked for JP Morgan Chase as an Internal Auditor. Sarah gives an update since her last interview and describes some of her experiences with startups. She shares some of her challenges and suggests some good options for investors to pursue. You can visit Beyond Angel Network and Fund at www.beyondangels.org, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/beyondangels. You can contact Sarah via email at sgjennings@beyondangels.org, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgjennings/. ______________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Sarah_Jennings_of_Beyond_Angel_Network_and_Fund.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 13 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel network, it’s important to drive the funded startups toward an exit. Investors funded the companies with an expectation of a return typically in the 5 to 7-year timeframe. While some startups will fail and shut down completely, most startups continue as ongoing businesses. It’s important to review the status of those startups to see what exit can be achieved. For those companies that continue to grow, the angel network can help the startup raise the next round of funding from venture capitalists. If the company has built value but not enough to raise additional funding, the angel group can help find a buyer for the assets of the company. The development team, technology, and product lines could find a home within another company. The secondary markets continue to thrive, and so there may be an option to sell the shares of the company to other investors. Many times the founders want to maintain the business as is and not sell it. The angel network could negotiate a buyout by the founders. If the company is generating a regular stream of revenue, they can set up a revenue share agreement to pay out the investors from revenue. It takes an active effort to pursue startup exits and there’s more than one solution. Consider setting up an exit committee with the goal of examining each investment to find a path out of the deal. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 13 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Thomas Madden, CEO at TransMedia Group. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, TransMedia Group is a full-service public relations and marketing firm serving clients worldwide since 1981. TransMedia has conducted highly successful PR campaigns for many of the largest companies and organizations in the country, including for The City of New York for which it won a Bronze Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. Other major clients over the years include giants AT&T, Rexall Sundown, and many startups across all fields. Tom is the quintessential “PR man.” Telling him to stop publicizing, inventing products like his Knife and Forklift™ that helps you to exercise while eating, and writing articles, blogs and books, are like telling the government to stop spending money—pointless. His popular blog is called MaddenMischief. Tom’s rise in the world of media was meteoric, evolving from news reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer, to speechwriter for the CEOs of AT&T, Kellogg’s, and other companies. He became a highly ranked executive at NBC, serving as Vice President, Assistant to the President under then-CEO Fred Silverman, for whom Tom also wrote speeches when he was Director of PR at American Broadcasting Companies. When television wunderkind Silverman became CEO of NBC, Tom was the only ABC executive he took with him. Tom has won many awards and owns Madden Talent, a licensed talent agency representing actors, artists, and models. He lives in Boca Raton, Florida, with his wife Rita. He is the author of several best-selling books including Spin Man, King of the Condo, Is There Enough BRADY in TRUMP to Win the inSUPERable Bowl?, and his latest book, Love Boat 78, available on Amazon and recently nominated for 2020 Reader's Choice Awards. Tom shares what led him to start working in the public relations space. He advises entrepreneurs and discusses how he sees the industry evolving. You can visit TransMedia Group at www.transmediagroup.com, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/TransMediaGroup. You can contact Tom via email at tmadden@transmediagroup.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/tom-madden-83b3919/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/search?q=%23MaddenMischief _____________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 12 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. After investing in a startup, it’s important for the angel investor to determine their role with the startup. There are several roles to consider: The investor can take an advisory board seat and provide coaching to the startup on an informal basis. The investor can take a board seat and help guide the founders through a formal board seat with regularly scheduled meetings and reports. The investor could forego the board seat, but stay in touch with the founders to provide support and advice. It’s important to define with the founders the information rights including what content and how often it should be delivered. The frequency of updates should match the needs of the company. When the company is in a steady-state mode, this is often quarterly. If the company is in crisis mode such as running out of cash, then this should move to weekly. Regardless of the state of the startup, the investor should check in at least once per quarter with a call to the founder. Finally, the investor should track the investment in their portfolio and maintain the most recent valuations and ownership levels. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 12 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Adam Haber, angel investor and CEO and Co-Founder of Trellus. Adam is dedicated to serving his community. As a Roslyn School Board Trustee from 2009-2018, Adam fought for residents and children, and helped bring the Roslyn School district back from the brink of financial ruin from an $11.2 million theft. After Hurricane Sandy, he personally initiated Project Long Island to repair over 200 damaged homes in Long Beach, through All Hands and Hearts, a disaster relief organization where he is currently a board member. Adam is exceptionally proud to be a board member of the Hagedorn Little Village School since April 2017. As a small business owner and entrepreneur, he has real experience creating jobs, attracting capital, and managing complex budgets. He had a 22-year career as a commodity options trader, has owned three restaurants (one of which had a Michelin Star), and is a non-operating principal of ScanlanKemperBard, a Portland- Oregon-based commercial real estate merchant bank. Adam is also an avid angel investor, a member of the Long Island Angel Network, and has sat on the boards of several start-up companies. Adam was a Director at the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) from July 2015-April 2016 and was Deputy Chief of Economic Development and Government Efficiency for the Town of Hempstead, from January 2018 to December 2019. He also writes a column for the Island Now called “All Things Political.” He resides in Roslyn with his wife Renée, and has two children Stephanie and Ethan, whom he is proud of. Adam discusses his angel network, how the industry is evolving, the biggest change he expects in the next 12-24 months, some of the challenges he faces, and he mentions some of the companies he has invested in. You can visit Trellus at https://bytrellus.com/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/trellus/. You can contact Adam via email at adam@bytrellus.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/adamhaber1/. __________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Adam_Haber_of_Trellus_Same_Day_Delivery_and_Marketplace_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 11 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There’s risk in startup investing as most investments don’t pay a return to the investor. In running an angel network one must take steps to mitigate liability. It’s a best practice to have all members sign liability waivers stating they understand the risk of startup investing and take responsibility for it. The waiver should indicate that each member makes their own investment decisions and the angel group is not recommending any startup for investment. Members in the group should provide full disclosure. If the member has any relationship with a proposed startup such as advising, consulting, or otherwise, the member should disclose this to the other members. Each member can decide for themselves how that impacts their investment decision. In syndicating deals to other groups, an angel network should have those groups sign liability waivers indicating that each investor is responsible for their own due diligence. Finally, most startups are raising capital from angel investors who are doing so under an SEC exemption. The angel group should have written confirmation from the members indicating that they are accredited investors. Take care to cover these areas of liability for your angel network. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 11 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes John McEvoy, Managing Partner at Tribeca Early Stage Partners (ESP). His first venture, Creditex – a hybrid electronic and voice brokerage trading platform for the credit derivatives market – was acquired by IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) in 2008 for over $600 M. He was also a founder and operating partner of eBond Advisors, which brought financial technology to the product level of a corporate bond – creating a more liquid financial instrument for investors while lowering financing costs for issuers. Finally, John founded a Bermuda-based reinsurance company backed by Wachovia Corp. Prior to his entrepreneurial pursuits, John spent 13 years on Wall Street at PaineWebber, Bankers Trust, and Deutsche Bank in derivative structuring and sales. He has been an active angel investor, board member, and advisor to many young companies. He loves the entrepreneurial environment and process and is always willing to lend a hand or give advice when asked. John advises entrepreneurs and investors in the fintech industry and discusses his investment thesis and some of the startups that fit his thesis. You can visit Tribeca Early Stage Partners at www.tribecaesp.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/5384379/admin/. You can contact John via email at john@tribecaesp.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/john-mcevoy-6ab7425/. __________________________________________________________________________ For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: John_McEvoy_of_Tribeca_Early_Stage_Partners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 8 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel network, it’s important to set up a due diligence process. Diligence can take a substantial amount of time, so there needs to be a prescribed process for the members to follow. The process needs to be led by those with experience in diligence and startup investing. It starts with gathering core documents such as historical financial statements, patent filings, entity filings, and other relevant documents. There’s a quantitative aspect to diligence to verify what you think you know about the business. For example, if the company claims to have a Delaware Corporation, then there should be documentation confirming that. There’s also a qualitative aspect to diligence such as assessing the skills of the team. This requires interviewing the team members, the business goals, and then making a judgement call about the skills required. Someone needs to lead the diligence. It could be the manager of the group or a member who is particularly knowledgeable about the sector. Some groups use university students for the analysis phase of the process. Members often tap contacts who are domain experts to review the technology or the business model. The diligence team compiles a report with the findings and recommendations to provide to the rest of the group. Findings from the diligence process often impact the valuation and terms used in the term sheet. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 8 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Tom Wisniewski, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Newark Venture Partners. Tom is an active member of the NY Angles, the Black and Latino Angel Investment Fund, and a Board Member of the New Jersey Innovation Institute. Across Tom's many roles, he works to deepen collaboration within the Newark/NYC tech ecosystem, create opportunities for founders, and mentor diverse entrepreneurs and investors. Tom has an MBA from Dartmouth and a BA in Physics and Philosophy from Clark University. Tom advises entrepreneurs and investors, discusses the state of startup investing and how he sees it evolving, and shares his investment philosophy. You can visit Newark Venture Partners at www.NewarkVenturePartners.com and www.newark.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/newark-venture-partners, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/NewarkVc. You can contact Tom via email at tw@newark.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/thomaswis/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/thomaswis. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Tom_Wisniewski_of_Newark_Venture_Partners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 7 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel network, it’s important to set up several sources of startups seeking funding called deal flow. The best source is the angel group members. Continually check with your members to see what deals they’ve seen or heard about. Other sources include the following: Incubators and accelerators often have deals, although most of the startups tend to be a little early for most angel investors. Venture capital investors in your area see many startups that are not an exact match for their fund but are good venture investments. Local universities may be a source of startups out of their development programs. Service providers see startups looking for funding and can provide a referral to the group. Online funding portals are also a source of deal flow. Finally, the angel network’s website may attract startups looking for funding. Set up a number of deal flow sources and track which ones provide the best startups for your group. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 7 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Kareem Elsirafy, Managing Partner at Modus Capital. Founded in 2016, they have offices in New York, Cairo, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Their team consists of international experts spanning across six countries and four continents, bringing together marketers, developers, designers, and operators. Kareem is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with extensive strategic and operating experience in early-stage tech. Having dedicated almost two decades of his career toward technological solutions for business and social complications, Kareem believes in the power of technology to drive positive returns for social impact and business initiatives. Kareem is a United States Marine Corps veteran and holds multiple degrees from Columbia University including BAs in Political Science, Economics, and Middle Eastern Studies, and an Executive MBA in Technology Management from Columbia as well. Most recently, Kareem held executive roles at various NYC-based companies providing strategic advisory and execution for various public institutions including the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Departments of State, in addition to notable private corporations such as Google, MetLife, IMG, Ally Bank, Pepsi, and Citibank. In 2011, Kareem co-founded and built Uniteus.com, a network care coordination SaaS platform that initially helped military veterans transition to civilian life and expanded to the entire U.S. Health and Human Services industry raising over $195.3 M in total capital at a $1.65 BN valuation. Kareem also founded M1 Marketing Firm in 2007 which exited for 22x in 2009. Kareem discusses his investment thesis and how the VC industry is evolving in the Middle East and North Africa. He advises startups and investors and shares some of the challenges they face. You can visit Modus Capital at www.modus.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/modus-capital, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/moduscapital. You can contact Kareem via email at kareem@modus.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kareemelsirafy/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/kareemelsirafy. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 6 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The deal screening process is a key program for an angel group. The process needs to capture all available deals in one place for review. For each deal, sufficient information must be provided by the startup including their revenue, sector, product stage, and fundraise sought. The screening process can be done by the group as a whole, by a select number of members, or by the director. The first step is to filter out all deals that do not meet the group's basic criteria. This typically cuts the number of submitted applications in half. The second step is to filter based on the quality of the deal such as traction, strength of the team, and size and growth of the target market. This typically cuts the number of applications in half again. The third step is to talk with the startups to gather additional information about fundraise status and valuation. This cuts the number of applications in half yet again. The fourth step is to choose the top 5 to 7 deals to go through the presentation process inviting the rest to apply on the next deal flow cycle. After the presentation process, the fifth step is the due diligence and funding process which pursues two to three deals for investment. The deal screening process is important as it provides an efficient method for identifying the deals to present and fund. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. |
Wed, 6 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ryon Anderson, CEO and Founder of Ryon Esquire. Ryon wants to change the world by leading, inspiring, and challenging the status quo! After losing his vision from a random illness at age 11, he was lost. Up until then, his dream and vision were to be an NFL quarterback. Losing his vision not only took his dream from him, but it also stole his identity. Unknown at the time, he had this drive to be great! He thrives on challenges and ultimately turned what most consider a disability into his greatest challenge because challenges can be beaten, while disabilities cannot. Ryon channeled his competitiveness into the only thing he felt he could be great at - his education. He went on to obtain an MS in Counseling Psychology and a law degree from Texas Tech School of Law; he is a member of the Texas Bar. But it all felt so empty. Ryon obtained these degrees because they made him employable as a blind person - they were just credibility checks. It was during this period of empty pursuit of societal excellence that he started on his journey of self-improvement. He discovered he still maintained the identity of an NFL quarterback. It has now shifted from physical skills to intangible traits, three of which are in his mission statement: inspire, lead, and serve along with unite, motivate, care for, and help achieve desired goals. Ryon is still quarterbacking. Ryon starts with “why?” when coaching individuals and consulting companies. Once an individual and/or company understands their true “why?”, their true beliefs, they can work together to implement creative strategies to not only achieve but blow beyond those desired results. Ryon discusses his background, some of the challenges he has faced, and how the coaching industry is evolving. __________________________________________________________________ You can contact Ryon at www.ryonesquire.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ryon-anderson-esquire-64919330/, via Twitter at www.twitter.com/ryonesquire?lang=en, and via email at ryon@ryonesquire.com. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 5 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running an angel network, consider using online events for the program. Here are some key tools for creating successful online events: A website. This keeps track of scheduled events with information about each one including name of the event, description, who should attend, and associated documents. Event registration. This page gives information about the event, registration capability, and a payment page if required. Streaming software. Software tools for capturing the speakers. Digital video equipment. Digital camera, lighting, microphones, and associated equipment for capturing the presenter. Webinar software. Software tools for setting up breakout sessions, recording the event, and managing the flow. Capable WiFi. You’ll need wireless connectivity in the room. Event planning tools. This keeps track of everything that needs to be done for each event including pre-show, show, and post-show action items. Consider these tools for setting up your online events. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 5 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Sam Silvershein, Associate at Alpha Partners. Alpha Partners partners with early-stage VCs to double down in their leading companies. Small, specialist VCs are the first funders of 80% of unicorns and tech IPOs, but 90% of the time, these first funders lack the capital to follow on in their growth stage winners. Alpha is purpose-built to solve this capital gap for early-stage VCs. As a result, Alpha invests in top-tier growth equity rounds led by the world’s best investors. Some of their recent exits include Coupang, Coursera, Rover, Vroom, and Wish. Before turning to venture, Sam spent time working in both the hospitality and CPG industries. During his tenure in hospitality, he managed a restaurant in Manhattan where he built a private-label beer brand and started a speakeasy inside of the main establishment. While working at the restaurant, he also went back to school to study for his Masters in Business Administration. Prior to joining the restaurant, he professionally brewed beer for three different breweries on the East Coast where he planned and executed expansion plans for output production and growing their distribution range. Sam obtained his Master’s degree from The University of Kansas where he had a finance concentration. He received his Bachelors from Dickinson College where he graduated with a Biology degree. Sam currently lives in New York City and is originally from New Jersey. When he’s not busy working with founders and fellow investors, he keeps busy playing hockey and hanging out with his rescue dog. Sam shares with Hall what excites him now in the industry, and how he sees it evolving post-COVID-19. You can visit Alpha Partners at www.alphapartners.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/alpha-venture-partners/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/alphaptrs. Sam can be contacted via email at sam@alphapartners.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/sam-silvershein. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 4 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Warrants give the holder a number of shares to be exercised over a specified period to buy the company’s stock. Warrants play a key part in venture debt. Companies offer warrants in exchange for a lower interest rate on the debt. Investors offering venture debt use warrants to gain access to the equity upside of the business. As long as the company is solvent, the warrant will have some value. Warrants are often offered at levels below the current market price. There are challenges with warrants. They are tied to the performance of the company’s stock price which fluctuates. They don’t last forever as they have an expiration date. They don’t give the investor any control rights in the company. They don’t offer any dividends. Venture debt providers typically offer debt at 10-20% warrant coverage. Warrant coverage is that portion of the loan taken in the form of warrants. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 4 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes back Carolyn Lowe, Founder of ROI Swift, and Author of “Business Growth Do's and Absolute Don'ts”. What is “Business Growth Do's and Absolute Don'ts”? Markets fluctuate and trends come and go, but some principles of the business world are here to stay. Founders and leaders need to know—and cannot ignore—the vital differences between success and failure. Carolyn has worked with hundreds of companies, from startups to Fortune 500s, in identifying their unique path to sustainable success. She’s seen her share of costly mistakes and understands the principles that endure, no matter the business size or industry. This book shares her most valuable takeaways from nearly three decades of experience. She wants to help you bridge the gap between brand and customer by showing you how to define your core values and ensure the right people are representing your company. With imperative insight on growing your Amazon or online business, you’ll learn the eCommerce metrics that truly matter to maximize profit and fast-track your way to unrivaled growth. Carolyn founded ROI Swift in 2015 to help emerging consumer brands get expert help in Amazon, Paid Ads for Facebook/Instagram, and Paid Search. So many smaller businesses were being taken advantage of by paying agencies big dollars for no results, and Carolyn thought that was wrong. Her team grew an apparel and footwear company from $0-12M in 18 months through paid Facebook and Instagram ads. Carolyn’s goal is to help 1000 brands grow profitably. So far, they have helped nearly 200, so she is 800 away from retirement! She lives in Austin, Texas, and is married with two children. Carolyn has her pilot’s license, though no time to actually fly anymore. Carolyn discusses her inspiration for writing the book, the primary audience, the most important takeaway, and more. You can purchase Carolyn’s book at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1544522444. Carolyn can be contacted via email at carolyn@roiswift.com, and via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynbyronlowe/. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 1 October 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Litigation funding provides investments to businesses seeking to litigate a lawsuit. Lawsuits come from businesses suing other businesses, tenants suing landlords, startups defending their intellectual property claims, and more. The one pressing the lawsuit needs funds to carry it through the courts. Investors receive a return when the business wins the lawsuit and pays the investor back from the settlement. Private equity raises funds from investors and then applies them to various lawsuit cases. These funds charge a management fee and carry to the fund. The fund follows the venture capital model. They only pay the investors in the event they win the case. The fund sees hundreds of lawsuits, but only backs a small percentage of them. Each lawsuit must payout at least five times the original investment. To join these funds, the investor must be accredited. Crowdfunding could also be used to source funds for litigation funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 1 October 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Dr. Raymond Levitt, Operating Partner at Blackhorn Ventures LP. |
Thu, 30 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Revenue-based funding makes a startup investment and pays back the investor at the rate of top-line revenue. This aligns the investor and founder to the same goal, to create a business and grow sales. The higher the sales, the faster the payback to the investors and the higher the compensation to the founders. Revenue-based funding typically sets the payback rate at 1-3% of top-line revenue. In revenue-based funding, the investors receive a revenue share until they reach a predetermined payback amount. This is different from a loan which sets the payout rate regardless of the seasons or cycles within the business. Revenue-based funding keeps early-stage investors off the cap table so it’s clean for future investors. Once the payback amount is reached, the investors are finished and are no longer in the picture. It works well for businesses that have recurring revenue and healthy margins. It’s a good way to reduce dilution for the founders. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 30 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Mike Audi, Co-Founder and CEO of TIKI Inc. You can visit TIKI at http://mytiki.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/mytiki/, and via Twitter at http://twitter.com/my_tiki_. Mike can be contacted via email at mike@mytiki.com, via LinkedIn at http://linkedin.com/in/maudi/, and via Twitter at http://twitter.com/tiki_mike. Music courtesy of Bensound. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. |
Wed, 29 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Salary-based funding makes a startup investment and pays back the investor at the rate of compensation the founders take. This aligns the investor and founder on the same goal, to create a business that can sustain itself and pay the team. The investors receive an agreed-upon percentage of any salary or profit the business takes in. In salary-based funding, the investors receive payback until they reach a predetermined payback amount. This is different from revenue-based funding which is a debt instrument that pays out based on a percentage of top-line revenue. This keeps early-stage investors off the cap table so it’s clean for future investors. The investor can choose to take their payback in cash or they could convert to equity. This is a good way to run an initial raise when it’s not clear if additional funding will be required. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 29 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes angel investor Richard Teideman. Richard is an accredited MCIM former marketer, and during his marketing career gained the following awards: Winner London International Advertising Awards, Snapshot OTC (digital) Winner Travel Marketing Awards X3, (TV / Digital), (Digital),(Integrated), (Marketing / Social) Franchise Marketing Awards (Retail) Judging Panel of the New York Festivals X3 promoted to the New York Festivals Grand Jury, Freeman of the City of London, a member of the Company of World Traders, and the Worshipful Company of Marketors. During his career, he also has been involved with the launch of over 40 motion pictures (credit list available) and 10 computer games. He is also a well-established professional voice-over with two international agents over the past 20 years. Richard can be contacted via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/richardteideman/. Music courtesy of Bensound. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. |
Tue, 28 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. As your company grows and the equity becomes worth more, there comes a time to switch over to debt funding. There are several forms of debt to consider. Each one is used for a different application. The primary options are as follows:
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 28 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Davron Karimov, CEO of FunderHunt. Funderhunt specializes in getting capital to business owners across America who are doing $5,000 and above in monthly revenue. Typical funding amounts range from $5,000-$2M, depending on factors like monthly revenue, number of deposits, industry, amount of NSF's/negative days, and credit score. Business owners can expect to get a business loan or an advance of 1-2 months of their monthly revenue. You can visit FunderHunt at www.FUNDERHUNT.CO, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/funderhunt, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/funder_hunt. Davron can be contacted via email at dave@funderhunt.co, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/davronkarimov, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/sweetdaddydev. Music courtesy of Bensound. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. |
Mon, 27 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Growth startups can raise not only funding for equity but also funding for debt called venture debt. Venture debt doesn’t dilute the founders and provides capital to continue the growth. Here are some key terms and conditions to know when looking for venture debt: There are term loans and revolving lines of credit with maturity dates and interest rates. The lender will look to secure assets for the loan. Check to see if the intellectual property will be required. If they do tie to the IP, then they will want a negative pledge in that they don’t want you to pledge the IP to any other lender. Many lenders will require you to move all your banking to their firm. If so, understand the account transfer period. The amount of funding and timing is a key issue. Will the funds be transferred in one go or in tranches? Check to see the requirements for each tranche. Check for fees on early payoff and exits. The default rate is the increase in the interest rate in case you default on the payments. Finally, warrants are often part of the terms. A warrant is the right to buy stock at a specified price. What is the price of the warrant and what is the timeframe it is active? Check for these key points in a discussion about venture debt. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. |
Mon, 27 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ross Darwin, Principal at Owl Ventures. Founded in 2014, Owl Ventures is the largest venture capital firm in the world focused on the education technology market with over $1.3 billion in assets under management. The Silicon Valley-based firm was purposely built to partner with and help scale the world’s leading education companies across the education spectrum including PreK-12, higher education, and the future of work (career mobility/professional learning). They invest in companies at all stages from early, growth, and later stages and across all geographies around the world. You can visit Owl Ventures at www.owlvc.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/3855155/, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/owlvc?lang=en. Ross can be contacted via email at ross@owlvc.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/rossdarwin. Music courtesy of Bensound. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. |
Fri, 24 September 2021
Thank you for joining us today for our TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program. We'll kick off the session with a short overview on a fundraising topic, then we’ll answer questions from the founders. Thank you for joining us for the TEN Capital Fundraise Launch Program where we help startups prepare for a fundraise. For more episodes, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group |
Fri, 24 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture debt is not for every startup or for all fundraises. It is best used in conjunction with an equity raise. The equity funding provides ongoing working capital that doesn’t need to be paid back. It works well between equity raises from institutional investors. The business must be up and running with stable revenue. Those with recurring revenue are a good fit. Those with healthy gross margins also do well. Investors will look at the cash flow of the business, so it’s important to have a healthy cash flow statement. It doesn’t work well for seed startups that are still looking for product-market fit. Established businesses will find it easier to raise venture debt as the investor will look at the company’s traction, track record, business model, and previous fundraises. Venture debt raises are typically limited to 25% of the equity raises, so a $3M fundraise most likely will not exceed $750K of venture debt. Most loans last around four years, so it’s not often used for working capital but rather for specific projects. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 24 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Nikita Demidov, Venture Associate at the Houston Angel Network. HAN’s members have invested more than $96M in more than 366 deals since its inception in 2001. The typical individual HAN member is an accredited investor seriously interested in providing capital and coaching to early-stage companies. HAN also has institutional members such as seed funds, accelerators, universities, and other networks within the innovation ecosystem. After graduation, Nikita worked in corporate finance helping to develop commercial solar plants at travel stops and gas stations. He worked on a variety of alternative fuel projects such as hydrogen, renewable natural gas, and renewable diesel. Last year, Nikita joined the venture ecosystem in Houston to help startups access more funding opportunities. He leads a team of venture associates at HAN and drives the monthly deal cycle for the network. Fun Fact: Nikita also lived in Boston, Peru, and is currently finishing his MSF at the University of Houston. Nikita suggests some good opportunities for investors to pursue, shares some of the challenges startups and investors face, and discusses his investment thesis. You can visit the Houston Angel Network at www.houstonangelnetwork.org, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-houston-angel-network/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/Houston_Angels. Nikita can be contacted via email at nikita@houstonangelnetwork.org, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-demidov/. Music courtesy of Bensound. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review.
Direct download: Nikita_Demidov_of_Houston_Angel_Network.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 23 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture debt can reduce dilution and give your startup more runway. Here are a few pointers to see if venture debt is a good fit for your fundraise: It’s often used with equity funding for purchasing equipment, making acquisitions, or making up for funding not acquired through the equity raise. If the company is in a difficult cash position, then venture debt will come with higher interest rates. If the proposed debt payments are higher than 20% of operating expenses, then it may not be a good fit. If the company has stable revenue and predictable receivables, then a line of credit may be a better choice than venture debt. Some tie venture debt to the company’s cash or accounts receivable. Covenants around venture debt such as ‘material adverse change’ can trigger a recall of the debt early. It helps to understand how the lender performs. Check their past history to find out more. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 23 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Neil Senturia, CEO at Blackbird Ventures. Prior to his technology adventures, Neil was a real estate developer, building more than two million square feet of commercial and residential space. Preceding that, he labored in the slough of despond, writing television and movies in Hollywood. Neil details his very diverse background, explains what he thinks the future of startup investing will look like and shares his investment thesis. You can visit Blackbird Ventures at www.blackbirdv.com. Neil can be contacted via email at neil@blackbirdv.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/neilsenturia/, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/itfyb?lang=en. Music courtesy of Bensound. Please subscribe, share, and leave a review. |
Wed, 22 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Venture debt is on the rise in the startup world as more startups find it a useful part of their fundraise strategy. It’s a form of debt financing for venture-backed companies that lack the assets for traditional debt funding. Venture debt has been around for as long as venture capital has been writing checks for equity investments. It’s often used in conjunction with an equity fundraise. It typically runs for three years and is secured by the company’s assets. Venture debt reduces dilution and gives the startup more runway before the next fundraise. It lets the startup acquire more capital without setting a valuation for the company which is advantageous in advance of a new round of equity funding. Venture debt does not take board seats and is often cheaper than bank loans. Venture debt is a more quantitative decision than equity capital which is more qualitative so the closing is typically faster. The disadvantage is that it must be paid back in the near term and interest rates are typically higher than bank debt. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 22 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ron Thompson, CEO of CAIL. Headquartered in Winnetka, Illinois, CAIL successfully enables organizations to leverage the considerable investment in current systems and services with solutions that provide an evolutionary strategy to evolve and improve information services. This approach provides clients with immediate and important advantages with products having extensive flexibility, scalability, and being cost-effective. In conjunction with this, the CAIL emphasis is on delivering a great user experience, quick gratification with the fast deployment of new services, providing solutions with advanced capabilities that build on the familiarity with current systems and processes, and realizing a rapid return on investment. CAIL’s IoT department provides “Smart Facilities Solutions” for the new-normal with Contact Tracing, Occupancy Monitoring, Predictive Cleaning, Asset Tracking, Environmental Monitoring, Air Sanitization, etc. To better ensure building safety and wellness, these solutions provide real-time data, analysis, and reporting to make smarter decisions, extend services, provide more value, better assess business risk, and respond to feedback quickly. By connecting buildings, assets, people, and devices through a range of ready-to-deploy IoT solutions, this results in improved tenant satisfaction and property management as well as reducing operating costs and health risks. Ron describes the types of companies he likes to invest in, discusses the state of startup investing, and advises entrepreneurs and investors. You can visit CAIL at www.cail.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/cail_2/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/cail_systems. Ron can be contacted via email at rthompson@cail.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ron-thompson, and via Twitter at https://twitter.com/ronthompson. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 21 September 2021
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Biotech/Life Sciences Problem: Changes Expected in the Sector in the Coming 12 Months
This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Biotech/Life Sciences Problem”, you’ll hear about changes expected in the Biotech/Life Sciences sector in the coming 12 months. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The biotech space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift back to a normal way of life. The process for designing and approving vaccines demonstrated a new protocol. Biotech now moves into a new era. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are: For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
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Tue, 21 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There’s an old saying in the angel world: If you want money, ask for advice. If you want advice, ask for money. In raising funding, most founders spend their time selling the idea to the investor. An alternative approach is to collaborate with the investor. The selling approach uses the entire ten-minute pitch talking about all the great points in the deal. The collaborative approach saves half the time to ask questions. This approach turns your meeting into a strategy session and engages the investors to collaborate on how better to run the business. After setting the stage with a short introduction of the business, follow up with questions to engage the investors on sales strategy, marketing strategy, and product strategy. The collaborative approach is far more engaging than the pitch approach. It makes everyone in the room a peer and gives everyone a chance to contribute. This approach helps the startup learn from the investor engagement. Lyndon B. Johnson once said, “You’re not learning when you’re talking.” For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: the_collaborative_approach_to_fundraising.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 20 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Founders need to bring startup mental models to bear on their business. Here’s a list of key mental models to know: Least worst option -- use this model when all options are not ideal. Jobs to be done -- use this model to discover how your product fits into the customer’s workflow. Minimum viable product -- understanding the bare essential features a customer will pay for. Product-market fit -- shows your product meets a set of customer requirements in a market. Network effects -- the value of the network grows exponentially with the number of participants, so your product value grows with the size of the network. Economies of scale -- costs decrease as the quantity of units increases by spreading the cost over more customers. Disruptive innovation -- an innovation that displaces competitors and redefines the industry. North star -- the one metric that guides decision-making and drives actions by the team. These are key mental models startup founders need to know.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 20 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Bradley Aelicks, Co-founder and President at Pyfera Growth Capital Corp. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Pyfera Growth Capital Corp. is an investment corp specializing in investing in private technology companies with a near-term objective of accessing the public markets. The Pyfera Capital team is comprised of investors, operators, and proven entrepreneurs. They draw from extensive capital markets experience to provide their portfolio companies with clear, calculated, and actionable advice. Pyfera has funded over 2 dozen companies and assisted in over $70 million in funding from co-investors and the finance community. Brad advises startups and investors, discusses some of the challenges they face, and shares some good opportunities for investors to pursue. You can visit Pyfera Growth Capital Corp. at www.pyferacapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/10822616. Brad can be contacted via email at brad@aelicks.ca, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-aelicks Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Brad_Aelicks_of_Pyfera_Growth_Capital_Corp.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Fri, 17 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching your business, investors will ask questions about metrics such as customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, and churn rates. The purpose of the question is to discover what systems you have built into the company and how robust they are. In the early stages of a startup, the CAC, LTV, and revenue growth metrics are not impressive. Instead of focusing on the metrics in the very early stages of the startup, talk about the fundamental systems already in place. Describe your system for acquiring customers and how it works. Detail how you deliver the product/service. Show how many of the users so far continue to use the product/service. Instead of relying on numbers, go to the next level and describe the systems you have. Investors are not expecting big numbers but instead, look for a company with systems installed and working for the core functions. The core functions are acquiring customers, delivering the product or service, and providing support to retain those customers. Look at your business as a series of systems. Present your business to investors in that manner as it gives a clearer picture of how far along you are. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group |
Fri, 17 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Rohit Gupta, Managing Director at Future Communities Capital. Headquartered in Berkeley, California, Future Communities Capital looks for technology entrepreneurs focused on disrupting legacy industries such as government, healthcare, finance, and real estate. Portfolio companies are tackling problems ranging from smart city infrastructure to disease outbreak management. Rohit discusses his background and what excites him now in the venture capital sector. He shares with Hall how he sees the sector evolving, and advises startups and investors. You can visit Future Communities Capital at www.FutureCommunities.vc. Rohit can be contacted via email at rohit@futurecommunities.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/rohit-gupta. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Rohit_Gupta_of_Future_Communities_Capital.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 16 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a startup, time management is a key skill for the founder. Here are some key steps in managing time:
Encourage your team to follow the same practices. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 16 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Julio Moreno, Partner and Co-Founder of Santa Cruz Angeles (SC Angeles). |
Wed, 15 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching your business, focus on the benefits your product or service provides rather than listing out the features. Features answer the question -- what, or what is it? Benefits answer the question -- why, or why do you want it? In pitching your business, go beyond the features of the product to show why customers need it. To capture the benefits, start with the pain the customer feels. If your customer has too many to-dos on their schedule, then pitch your product as a simpler schedule. If your customer lacks knowledge in a subject, then pitch your product as mastery over the subject. If your customer has low revenue, then pitch your product as finding more customers and generating more revenue from existing customers. Start with the pain point to determine the needs and then show how your product supplies those needs. Once you’ve captured the audience’s interest, you can dive deeper into the features. Lead with the benefits and follow up with the features if needed. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 15 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Dr. Neal Vail, angel investor and Chief Technical Officer/Co-founder at Progenerative Medical. Progenerative Medical is a pre-commercialization stage medical device company focused on expanding clinically proven reduced pressure therapy into spinal and orthopedic indications. Their initial clinical application is to significantly improve clinical outcomes and satisfaction in patients undergoing spinal fusion procedures, a new annual revenue opportunity of $1.6B in the US market. They have the opportunity to expand the clinical use of their product into other orthopedic indications such as trauma, joint arthroplasty, and revision surgeries, all significantly larger markets than their initial indication. Neal has 25+ years of medical device and pharmaceutical product R&D and commercialization experience. He has held positions of increasing technical, program management, and organizational leadership responsibilities at NEC America, Inc., DaimlerBenz Central Research, Southwest Research Institute, and Kinetic Concepts, Inc. Neal has assembled cross-functional teams to develop and execute successful product development programs funded through corporate, private and public stakeholders. He has experience in M&A and technology licensing. Neal has been an angel investor for about 15 years, reviewed 100s of investment opportunities, and invested in several startups. He has been a business strategy and technology advisor to several medical device start-ups. Neal graduated from UT-Austin with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and has business training from the Sloan School at MIT. Neal shares with Hall what led him to start working in the medical device and product development space. He discusses the state of startup investing, its evolution, and some of the challenges entrepreneurs face. You can visit Progenerative Medical at www.progenerative.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/progenmed/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/progenmed?lang=en. Neal can be contacted via email at nvail27@gmail.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/neal-vail-phd. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: Neal_Vail_Angel_InvestorProgenerative_Medical_Inc.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 14 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching investors, there are many ways to blow the pitch. Here’s a list of common mistakes startups make: Losing your temper and letting emotions get the better of you. Investors want level-headed people they can work with. Building the company only for the exit. There must be a “why” behind the business. Inability to present the idea or business in a smooth way. Lack of clarity in the pitch will translate into a lack of clarity regarding the business plan. Not answering the investors’ questions, such as failing to give revenue numbers. Lack of direct answers frustrates the investors and leads many to believe the answer is not attractive. Not knowing your industry or market. It’s best to demonstrate knowledge of the market with some key numbers. Not knowing your team well. It’s best to have some history with the team members and demonstrate how you work well together. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 14 September 2021
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Biotech/Life Sciences Problem: Participation in the Biotech/Life Sciences Segment and What Investors Look For
This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Biotech/Life Sciences Problem”, you’ll hear about participation in the Biotech/Life Sciences segment and what investors look for. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The biotech space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift back to a normal way of life. The process for designing and approving vaccines demonstrated a new protocol. Biotech now moves into a new era. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are:
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Mon, 13 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In running a business, it’s important to use written contracts. It’s easy to negotiate an agreement verbally, but this often leaves loose ends that become a problem later. A written contract makes clear the responsibilities and duties of both parties and what each owes the other. It’s often the case that both sides make assumptions underlying the agreement and those assumptions conflict with each other. A contract includes both the agreement and the consideration. Consideration is some value that is paid for the services rendered or the product delivered. If there’s no consideration, then the service is considered a gift. Written contracts are required for any sale over $500, any lease over $1000, and anything that creates a security interest such as pledging real estate. There are several advantages to written contracts. It is easier to enforce a written contract. Signing a contract indicates that both parties have agreed to it. Verbal contracts are often nullified when one side or the other claims they didn’t agree. Written contracts provide better recourse than verbal contracts with the courts and arbitration. Make sure you put it in writing. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 13 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Josh Chodniewicz, Founder and CEO at Fundify. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Fundify is a tech-driven equity crowdfunding marketplace that enables anyone to invest in next-gen startups alongside industry experts. They work closely with experts in a wide variety of industries to review and comment on investment opportunities. Fundify makes it simple for anyone and everyone to invest in startups and build a portfolio, with as little as $10 per investment. Josh previously co-founded and served as CEO of Art.com/Allposters.com, where they built the world’s most successful online art retailer selling more than $3 billion in posters and framing services and satisfying more than 20 million paying customers. The experience of co-founding Art.com showed Josh how difficult and time-consuming it can be to raise capital for a business. In fact, in the early years, he bootstrapped the business on just $35,000 and was continually told “no” by potential investors. Josh and his team went on to raise a $58M Series A for Art.com before it was acquired by Walmart. Josh began angel investing to help other founders build their dreams. He founded his own venture company and incubator called Mach 10 Ventures and has invested in dozens of startups including Mixbook.com ($11m+ in follow-on funding), Collectrium (acquired by Christie’s), Moolala (acquired by Ncrowd), Pixowl (acquired by Animoca), True Impact Media and others. As an early-stage investor, he once again found a time-consuming, inefficient process, especially when considering investments in industries outside of his expertise. Josh founded Fundify to simplify startup funding and investing. Josh has won numerous awards and honors, including Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, 40 Under 40, among others. While Josh was CEO of Art.com, the company earned recognition from Inc. Magazine as the 2nd fastest-growing company in the nation. Josh lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife Natalie and three sons: Beckham, Asher, and Edison. Josh shares with Hall what excites him now and how he sees the industry evolving. He discusses his investment thesis and some of the companies in his portfolio which fit the thesis. You can visit Fundify at www.fundify.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/fundify-inc/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/fundify?lang=en. Josh can be contacted via email at josh@fundify.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/jchod/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 10 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, you must have a growth story. Investors want to know your business is in motion with momentum and traction. Investors look for activity in four areas: sales, team, product, and fundraise. These are the factors under the control of the startup. Other factors such as competition, market size, and growth are not interesting. Investors want to know what you are accomplishing, not what the market is accomplishing. In every contact with the investor, bring up a key result in sales, team, product, or fundraise. Most startups spend their air time with investors focused on the forecast. Instead, show how your company is executing today. Make sure you follow up to demonstrate how the growth story continues. It takes about four updates before the investor becomes convinced there’s a growth story underway. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 10 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Nicolas Colin, Co-founder and Director at The Family. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in London, The Family nurtures entrepreneurs through education, unfair advantages, and capital. Moving at startup speed, The Family is transforming a portfolio of non-linear companies, special projects, and virtual infrastructures into a connected community of entrepreneurs, operators, and fellow investors who inspire and support each other. Nicolas is the publisher of European Straits, a research newsletter dedicated to the Entrepreneurial Age viewed from Europe, a columnist at Sifted, and an author (more recently of Hedge: A Greater Safety Net for the Entrepreneurial Age). He's a member of the board of directors of Radio France, the French national radio broadcasting corporation, and of Mettle, the digital branch of Natwest/Royal Bank of Scotland. Nicolas previously served as an advisor with the OECD, a member of the board of the French personal data protection authority, and a senior civil servant at the French ministry of finance. He lives in Munich, Germany, with his wife and their two children. Nicolas advises investors and entrepreneurs and shares some of the challenges they face. He also discusses some good opportunities for investors to pursue. You can visit The Family at www.jointhefamily.co, and at europeanstraits.substack.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/thefamily/. Nicolas can be contacted via email at nicolas@jointhefamily.co, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-colin-the-family, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/Nicolas_Colin. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 9 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are basic principles around fundraising that apply in every situation. First, the most important step in fundraising is to build a relationship with the investor. The more you know the investor and the more they know you, the better the outcome. Second, demonstrate results in every contact. Never show up without a currently relevant result or a proof point. Third, be honest at all times. It only takes one deception to ruin the relationship. Fourth, it’s the number of touches and consistency that counts, not how long the discussion or pitch deck runs. It takes four touches for an investor to understand what you are doing and seven touches before they make a final decision. Fifth, include the “Why?” -- why are you doing this startup? For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 9 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Darren King, Fund Manager and General Partner at Unbridled Ventures. Unbridled Ventures’ fund consists of accomplished angel investors who provide funding and expertise to help entrepreneurs fulfill their American dream. Darren has spent a lifetime working for and consulting with small businesses in Indiana and Kentucky. The son of a small business owner, Darren has also had a passion for small businesses and has worked in various roles as a CEO, CFO, and CPA (inactive) to analyze, invest, and consult on various investment and acquisition opportunities. During the past ten years, Darren has been an active angel investor and mentor to startups and small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. He has personally invested over $1 million in startups. He also has extensive experience with angel funds as a board member and as an investor. Successful angel investments include Hosting.com, Gun Media, Poseida (PSTX), and First Care. Prior to Hosting.com, Darren was a CFO and CPA. Darren holds a B.S. in Accounting from Indiana University where he graduated with honors in 1992. He resides in Prospect, Kentucky with his wife and two children. Darren discusses his investment thesis, the financial risk-reward, and some of the non-financial benefits of investing as an angel. He also advises investors and entrepreneurs and shares some of the challenges they face. You can visit Unbridled Ventures at www.unbridled.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/unbridled-ventures/about/. Darren can be contacted via email at darren@unbridled.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/darren-king-295b2a2/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 8 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Many entrepreneurs fail to build a financial forecast claiming they cannot predict the future. The purpose of the financial forecast is not for future predictions, but rather for communicating the business plan to the investors. From the forecast, the investor learns what growth rate the entrepreneur is considering. The forecast shows where break-even may come in. The investor can also gauge how much the entrepreneur knows about the costs and revenues of the business. Big round numbers in the forecast indicate little knowledge of the costs and revenues. Most financial forecasts can be driven by specific product quantities. Finally, the forecast shows the interdependence between revenues and costs. Increased revenues will drive variable costs higher leaving the fixed costs unchanged. A financial model is helpful for managing the business. If revenues double, the model shows what will happen to the costs. If revenues get cut in half, the model shows what costs will drop and what will not. It’s important to create a 3-5 year financial forecast to share with investors to inform them of the plan and demonstrate the startup’s credibility. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group |
Wed, 8 September 2021
Investor Connect - 603 - David Blackledge - Angel Investor (Grand Canyon University/Davis Miles Law Firm)
In this episode, Hall welcomes David Blackledge, Angel Investor, Professor at Grand Canyon University, and Attorney at Davis Miles Law Firm. David is full-time faculty at Grand Canyon University’s College of Business and 2020-21 Teacher of the Year. Fall 2021 will be his seventh year teaching at the school which quickly became a second calling for him. David is an active investor in multiple angel groups as well as a mentor and judge in many Arizona-based business competitions. He is currently a board member on various volunteer groups whose mission is to educate, accelerate and invest in entrepreneurs who are creating solutions to business and social problems. He has provided thousands of hours mentoring and advising students, startups, and others in professional matters such as interviewing, business formation and ownership, and fundraising. David is also Of Counsel (a fancy phrase for part-time) at Davis Miles McGuire Gardner, a full-service law firm operating in the southwest US. He focuses his practice on startup and emerging businesses, particularly in various technology markets. The first thirty years of his professional career were in sales and operations management of high technology startups giving him a unique perspective on advising business owners, investors, and others in the business world. David received his degree in Business Management from Penn State Smeal College of Business, an MBA in Finance from George Washington University, and his J.D. from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. David discusses what excites him now in angel investing, some of the challenges angel investors face, and the state of angel investing post-COVID-19. David can be contacted via email at dblackledge1@cox.net, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/david-blackledge-7829a23/. Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: David_Blackledge_of_Grand_Canyon_University.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 7 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. If you successfully raised your seed round you will find that Series A funding to be a new challenge. Series A funding is different from seed funding in several ways. In seed funding, the entrepreneur must convince the investor that they can sell the product. In Series A funding, the entrepreneur must convince the investor they can grow the overall business. In seed funding, product-market fit and traction are the key drivers pointing to success. In Series A funding, repeatable processes and systems installed are the key drivers. In seed funding, investments come in bits and pieces and anything helps. In Series A funding, larger portions must be raised to carry out the plan. In seed funding, family, friends, angels, and others, are the primary source of funding. In Series A, venture capital and institutions take the lead in funding. Make sure you don’t use your seed deck for a Series A funding as you will find the presentation will fall flat. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: how_series_a_funding_is_different_from_seed_funding.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 7 September 2021
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Biotech/Life Sciences Problem: Primary Trends and What Makes for a Successful Company
This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Biotech/Life Sciences Problem”, you’ll hear about primary trends and what makes for a successful company in this segment. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The biotech space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift back to a normal way of life. The process for designing and approving vaccines demonstrated a new protocol. Biotech now moves into a new era. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are: Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: IP_Biotech-Life_Sciences_2021_-_Show_2_-_Primary_Trends_and_What_Makes_fo.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 6 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. So, who does the Venture Capitalist serve? The VC raises funds from the Limited Partner and invests in startups. In talking with entrepreneurs, they make clear the VC serves the Limited Partners first. Many founders talk about how helpful the VC is to their company and personal growth. Entrepreneurs are important to the VC and vice versa. The VC needs the business in which to invest, and the entrepreneur needs the funding. The VC to entrepreneur is more of a partnership than a customer/vendor relationship. They both share a common goal. They must work together and remain aligned to the mission and vision of the business. For VCs funding startups, consider it a partnership and look for entrepreneurs you can work with. For entrepreneurs raising funding, consider it a partnership as well and ask if you want them as a partner for your business? This brings some clarity to the funding process. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 6 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Carolyn Lowe, CEO & Founder of ROI Swift. Founded in 2015, ROI Swift is an agency made up of fun and approachable digital marketing experts who are passionate about growing small and medium businesses. They offer expert management in Google Adwords, Google Shopping, remarketing, Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, Pinterest - pretty much every digital platform - and take pride in their results. Fun facts about Carolyn: She once won $10,000 on the radio and wished she saved it to invest in Google or Amazon two decades later. After leaving Dell, she ran Global marketing and events for an NPD company and consulted for many brands including DirecTV, Callaway Golf, and others. She founded ROI Swift to follow her passion of helping emerging businesses grow. Brands like Tecovas, Howler Brothers, LemiShine, Incrediwear, UpSpring, and many more can attribute successes due to ROI Swift. She lives in Austin, TX, and is married with two children. Carolyn has her pilot’s license, though no time to actually fly anymore. Carolyn discusses the state of investing in the e-commerce industry. She also speaks about the evolution of it, the number of companies engaged in it, and some of the challenges companies face. You can visit ROI Swift at www.roiswift.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/roi-swift. Carolyn can be contacted via email at carolyn@roiswift.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/carolynbyronlowe. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Fri, 3 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are many metrics for determining how well your SaaS business is doing. Net dollar retention is a key metric that indicates the health of the business. To calculate it, take the revenue at the beginning of the month, plus upgrades, minus downgrades and churn. Divide this by the revenue at the beginning of the month. If the formula is above 100%, then your business is growing. If it’s below 100%, then it’s shrinking. The key to a high net dollar retention rate is strong customer service. Low net dollar retention rate comes from poor service. Market-leading companies often have a net dollar retention rate well above 100%. Know your numbers and use them to guide your execution.
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 3 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Eric Thome, Director at VentureSouth. VentureSouth is an early-stage venture firm that provides capital and expertise to Southeastern startups through their angel investment network and funds. Eric is the Managing Director of Business Development for Charles Towne Holdings, a boutique investment bank headquartered in Charleston. He is also the founder of Death Valley Ventures where he acts as a consultant and operator for businesses large and small. Through DVV, he is part owner of Barre3 Charleston and formerly acquired the folding Kayak company, Folbot, and launched GameDayBlazers.com. Eric and his wife, Eloise, live in Charleston, SC with their daughters, Anna, Landon, and Virginia. Eric advises startups and investors and shares some of the challenges they face. He also discusses his investment thesis and what he thinks will be the biggest change we will see in the next 12 months. You can visit VentureSouth at www.venturesouth.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/venturesouth-vc/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/VentureSouth_VC. Eric can be contacted via email at eric@venturesouth.vc, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ericthome. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Thu, 2 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors look for certain things in the pitch to decide whether or not to pursue. In pitching VCs, make sure you cover the following points: Say what your company does in 10 words or less. This provides context so the investor knows how to understand the rest of the pitch. Show how your team is great. Give examples demonstrating how sharp they are, how fast they execute, and how they learn from mistakes. Mention the size of the market and include not only the total available market and serviceable market but also the beachhead market. The beachhead market is the first 20 customers you will pursue. This shows you know where you are going to start with your go-to-market plans. Discuss the monetization model. If you have recurring revenue, highlight that aspect as that will appeal to them the most. Show recent milestones accomplished such as a product launched, or a customer closed. Discuss current traction. Forecasts must rest on top of historical numbers. Investors will look for where you are today in order to understand your forecast. Show how much funding you have so far. Have one fundraise target, not several, as investors can’t manage multiple scenarios in the initial meeting. Know what you are going to accomplish with the fundraise. Again, focus on clear milestones and avoid multiple scenarios. In the end, it’s one team, one product, one business model, one fundraise, and one outcome. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: what_vcs_want_to_know_about_your_startup.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 2 September 2021
In this our 600th episode, Hall welcomes Paul Glover, Author of “WorkQuake” and Executive Coach at Paul Glover Coaching. Paul is the “no BS work performance coach”, a "recovering trial lawyer", an ex-felon, an unabashed Starbucks addict, a Chicago Bears fanatic, the author of WorkQuake, a speaker on business and leadership topics, and a member of the Forbes Coaching Council. In 2001, based on his personal experiences as a federal court trial lawyer and a set-back survivor, Paul created a unique coaching program, recognizing the primary reason why convincing successful leaders to engage in the hard work necessary to improve their leadership skillset was so difficult was that leaders seldom know the truth about the weaknesses in their leadership skill set. This lack of knowledge exists because of the inherent nature of positional authority which eliminates the psychological safety necessary for others in the organization to tell leaders the unfiltered truth. This lack of truthfulness about their leadership skill set restrains both the leader and their organization from reaching their full potential. For the last 20 years, he has used a coaching program based on a measurable improvement process that holds leaders accountable for eliminating the filters and stuff that surrounds them. But, more importantly, it also requires leaders to discover their blind spots and their propensity for producing self-inflicted injuries which constrain their organizations and themselves from realizing their full potential. And, finally, it requires that they take the corrective action necessary to eliminate those constraints. Paul discusses the inspiration behind his book, the primary audience, what surprised him the most whilst writing it, and the most important takeaway. You can purchase his book from his website or from Amazon, at ww.amazon.com/Work-Quake. |
Wed, 1 September 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Pitching is an important skill in fundraising. Consider these key points in your next pitch: Tell a compelling story, not just any story. Use the pitch deck to communicate the “Why” behind your business. Time is short, so make sure you hit the key points of the business -- team, product, fundraise, in a logical order. Include meaningful numbers that demonstrate you know what you are talking about. Market size, revenue, growth rate, customer acquisition rates are important numbers to include. In building your pitch, involve your team and others as it will be a great way to reinforce the strategy with those who are helping execute it. Pitching skills also help in recruiting employees, fostering partnerships, and selling customers. The deck is there to help you, not take your place. Remember, you are the presentation, not the slides. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound
Direct download: are_you_able_to_communicate_your_story.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Wed, 1 September 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Avetis Antaplyan, Founder & CEO of HIRECLOUT.
Direct download: Avetis_Antaplyan_of_Hireclout_version2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 31 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The process of raising funding brings the startup founder several intangible benefits. Here is a short list: Fundraising forces you to think through your business strategy and articulate it clearly. Investors will challenge your strategy requiring the founder to defend it. The pitch elicits feedback from the investors which often improves the plan. While entrepreneurs look at the opportunity in the deal, the investor looks at the risk. Investors highlight the risks and the challenges to overcome. This feedback sharpens the pitch. Investors also provide feedback on the market, team, product, and other aspects that help refine the strategy. The pitch presentation expands the circle of those who know the business and can potentially help in the future. Consider the additional benefits that come from raising funding, which is a better business plan and a broader network of contacts. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 31 August 2021
Investor Perspectives – How to Solve the Biotech/Life Sciences Problem: Growth in the Biotech/Life Sciences Segment
This is Investor Perspectives. I’m the host of Investor Connect, Hall T Martin, where we connect startups and investors for funding. In our new Investor Perspectives series entitled “How to Solve the Biotech/Life Sciences Problem”, you’ll hear about growth in the biotech/life sciences segment. As the COVID pandemic passes, we emerge into a new world. The biotech space is now undergoing tremendous change as we shift back to a normal way of life. The process for designing and approving vaccines demonstrated a new protocol. Biotech now moves into a new era. We have investors and startup founders describe the changes coming up. Our guests are: Yaniv Sneor, Co-founder, Mid Atlantic Bio Angels, 01:18 I hope you enjoy this episode. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound.
Direct download: IP_Biotech-Life_Sciences_2021-_Show_1_-_Growth_in_the_Biotech-Life_Sciences_Segment.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 30 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Wes Barton, Founder and Managing Partner at Third Prime. Headquartered in New York, New York, Third Prime is a venture capital firm focused on identifying and investing in seed-stage companies that are using technology to develop business models with the potential to disintermediate incumbents within the fintech and proptech sectors. Wes received his J.D. from Duke School of Law in 2002 and his undergraduate degree from Western Kentucky University in 1999. Wes discusses his investment thesis and some of the startups he has invested in which fit that thesis. He shares some of the challenges they face in launching their businesses and suggests some good opportunities for investors to pursue. You can visit Third Prime at www.thirdprime.vc, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/15189541/admin, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/thirdprimevc. |
Mon, 30 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, the startup should be doing as much diligence on the investor as the investor is doing on the startup. Start by checking out the portfolio of the investor and making contact with CEOs who have been funded by the investor. Ask the CEO about their experience with the firm. Most VCs tout their entrepreneur-friendly mantra and how much they can help the startup. In addition to funding, VCs provide strategy, recruiting, business development, and future funding. Ask the CEO about their experience with the VC in these areas. Also, check their experience in negotiating the term sheet with the investor. Look for examples of non-standard behavior such as lock-up terms, and a last-minute change of terms in the negotiations.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 27 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Neetu Puranikmath, Early-Stage Investor. |
Fri, 27 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In approaching venture capital, it’s important to know something about the VC’s sweet spot for funding. By reviewing the VC’s website, you can see their portfolio. By reviewing their portfolio companies, you can get a sense of the stage and sector of deals they invest in. The best way to learn about a VC is by contacting one of their portfolio companies. From the CEO, you can find out more about how the VC supports their companies and what strengths they bring to the table. Knowing the VC’s sweet spot will save you a tremendous amount of time and help you focus on the ones who are a good fit. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group |
Thu, 26 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Dr. Eric Tait, Founder and Fund Manager at Vernonville Asset Management (VAM). Vernonville Asset Management is a private investment firm created to provide investors the opportunity to invest in real assets. Their focus is creating and maintaining investor wealth through alternative investment strategies. Returns are generated for their clients by directly investing in companies and development teams with a proven track record of profitable operations along with experienced management.
Direct download: Eric_Tait_of_Vernonville_Asset_Management_LLC.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:36am CDT |
Thu, 26 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need time-management skills to run a business. Here’s a list of key skills successful founders have:
In this attention-demanding economy, it takes strong time-management skills to succeed. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 25 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Dr. Hector Jirau, Chief Investment Officer at Jirau Capital Management. Headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jirau Capital Management is a scientist-led investment advisory firm at the intersection of breakthrough science providing exposure to the latest advancements in healthcare and innovation. Jirau Capital Management is the first and only investment advisory firm in Puerto Rico combining quantitative methods with evidence-based science.
Direct download: Hector_Jirau_of_Jirau_Capital_Management_LLC.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:56am CDT |
Wed, 25 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need strategy skills to run a business. Here’s a list of key skills successful startup founders have:
The founder needs to apply strategic thinking to every aspect of the company, mission, product development, hiring, marketing, and sales. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 24 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Robert Norton, CEO at AirTight Management. Headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, AirTight Management prepares and assists entrepreneurs in launching new companies and products, scale through consulting, and training and coaching to create high-performance cultures. Robert has been a serial entrepreneur since 1989. He has founded and scaled several companies as CEO and in four exits earned investors over $1 billion in profits just while at those companies. Today, these companies generate billions annually. He is also a speaker, author of two books, over 125 articles, and over 360 studio-produced videos on these topics, trained thousands of CEOs from 35+ countries, and is a thought leader in entrepreneurship, innovation, and scaling of companies. Robert has grown two startups to over $100M in sales, Thomson Financial Services, and HomeView ($156M) in five years each. HomeView was the first HD, virtual touring company for residential real estate and achieved a 78% market share in only 18 months. Both companies disrupted their industries with six successful products out of six. Robert has now created over 80 products and helped with hundreds. He specializes in entrepreneurship and scaling companies that can become $100M+ with impact and has helped over 200 companies start and/or scale. As a board member, adviser, and coach, Robert has doubled and tripled the growth rate at many client companies in short order leading Organization Change Management (and Development OCM/OD) and adding tens of millions in valuation to individual clients in months. You can visit AirTight Management at www.airtightmgt.com, at and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/airtight-management/. Robert can be contacted via email at bnorton@airtightmgt.com, via www.ceobootcamp.us/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/robertjnorton/.
Direct download: Robert_Norton_of_AirTight_Management.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:09am CDT |
Tue, 24 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need problem-solving skills to run a business. Here’s a list of key skills to develop:
For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 23 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Tim Marx, Venture Partner at Baird Capital. Baird Capital makes venture capital, growth equity, and private equity investments in strategically targeted sectors around the world. They are value creators who identify exceptional opportunities and partner with senior industry executives to build world-class companies. Their in-depth sector knowledge, deep relationships with entrepreneurial management teams, and global network of 60 investment and operating professionals in the United States, U.K., and Asia help ensure that they consistently drive value in their portfolio companies. Tim supports Baird’s fund's efforts to identify, diligence, and support venture capital investments in healthcare as well as industry-agnostic technology and tech-enabled services companies in the Texas market. Additionally, Tim works at a Houston-based blockchain startup, Topl, that supports digital transformation across the supply chain by providing trust and transparency to its customers’ ESG claims across multiple industries (agriculture, metals and mining, energy, retail, etc.). Topl also incorporates decentralized finance applications that arise from the ability to monetize in a variety of ways the impact being created. Tim continues to support select clients in an advisory capacity as well as to serve as an Investment Committee member to the TMC Venture Fund, in addition to other advisory roles across multiple startups and small companies. Prior to his current slate of activities, he was at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) from 2001 to 2018, leaving as a Partner and Managing Director. Tim is a graduate of Penn State University, holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and was a Fulbright Scholar at the ITESM in Mexico. You can visit Baird Capital at www.bairdcapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/baird-capital-partners-europe-limited/. Tim can be contacted via email at tmarx@rwbaird.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/timothymarx. |
Mon, 23 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need emotional intelligence skills to run a startup. Emotional intelligence helps the founder control emotions and empathize with others. Here are the key components for building those skills: Self-awareness - this is the ability to know yourself and recognize your strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. The more you know yourself, the more you can work around your weaknesses to achieve your goals. Self-regulation - this is the ability to recognize your emotions and control them. The stronger your self-regulation, the more control you have over your responses to challenging situations. Social skills - the ability to influence others to be more empathetic. This comes in the form of communication, persuasion, and collaboration skills. Social skills help you connect to others and bond with them. Empathy - the ability to understand others intellectually rather than emotionally, which is sympathy. Empathy helps the founder understand the team on a deeper level and provide appropriate responses. Motivation - the ability to drive forward through challenging situations. Founders need to understand what motivates the team members which can be financial, personal, or otherwise. Founders need strong emotional intelligence skills to lead the team, manage conflicts, and motivate the team members. Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 20 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need to be visionary to run a startup. Vision starts with seeing a business opportunity and applying a solution to solve it. The founder clarifies the vision and shapes it into a platform, product, or application. This informs the founder of all business decisions going forward. It starts with knowing the industry and current solutions in the market. The solution must be unique and competitive with advantages over competitors. The vision should establish a unique product in the market. Over time, the founder refines the vision with changes in the market. The founder uses storytelling to communicate the need and the value that comes from the vision. The founder must sell the vision to everyone including the team, customers, and partners. The founder is part evangelist selling and promoting the idea. The market must be able to see the value that comes from the vision. The vision must inspire others to learn more and then join the effort. The vision is captured into the company’s tag line, mantra, and mission statement. The vision must be established for the long term as it will undergo many refinements and clarifications. For startup founders, vision is a key element you’ll need to run your business in the early days. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 19 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Kenneth Alan Goodwin, General Managing Partner and Founder at Jeanensis Ventures.
Direct download: Kenneth_Alan_Goodwin_of_Jeanensis_Ventures.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:34am CDT |
Thu, 19 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need general business skills to run a startup. Here’s a list of skills to bring to your startup:
For startup founders, these are the general skills you’ll need to run your business in the early days. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Wed, 18 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need management skills to run a startup. Here are some key skills to have: Ability to wear multiple hats at one time since there’s not enough revenue to fill every role. Can hire and manage the team members. Ability to set strategy and direction for the team. Can develop and execute on short-term and long-term plans. Ability to metric the processes of the business and manage accordingly. Can resolve conflicts with employees, customers, and investors. Understands the tradeoffs in making business decisions. Can see the needs of each role and the resources that need to be supplied. Have a general knowledge of technology, marketing, finance, legal, and HR for running the business. Ability to learn new technology including business automation, collaboration, and data management. Ability to communicate effectively with the team, investors, and customers. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group |
Wed, 18 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Andrea Belz, Division Director at the National Science Foundation. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense...". The NSF is vital because they support basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future. This type of support is a primary driver of the U.S. economy, enhances the nation's security, and advances knowledge to sustain global leadership. With an annual budget of $8.5 billion (FY 2021), the NSF is the funding source for approximately 27 percent of the total federal budget for basic research conducted at U.S. colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science, and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing. Andrea joined the National Science Foundation (NSF) in May 2019. Previously, she served as Vice Dean for Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering, as well as Entrepreneur-in-Residence (Technology) of Industrial and Systems Engineering. She was previously a Visiting Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the California Institute of Technology. From 2014 to 2019, Andrea was the Founding Director of Innovation Node-Los Angeles, a regional hub for the NSF I-Corps program. She has worked with many university startups and investors, most recently representing a major angel investing group on the board of a Caltech spinoff laser manufacturer until its acquisition in 2018. For nearly 20 years, Andrea has advised universities, corporations, and other organizations on commercialization opportunities as managing member of the Belz Consulting Group. Her recent research has focused on technology ventures, from startups through publicly funded launch programs to private funding. Andrea has authored or co-authored dozens of refereed articles, peer-reviewed conference presentations, and proceedings on technical topics and innovation, and she authored a book on product development. Belz earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Maryland at College Park and doctoral degree at the California Institute of Technology, both in physics; she earned her master's degree in finance at Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business. Andrea discusses the state of startup investing, the biggest change she expects to see in the next 12 months, and some of the challenges entrepreneurs and investors face. You can visit the National Science Foundation at www.nsf.gov, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/national-science-foundation/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/NSF. Andrea can be contacted via email at abelz@nsf.gov, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/andreabelz/.
Direct download: Andrea_Belz_of_National_Science_Foundation.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Tue, 17 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need to develop leadership skills to run a startup. Here are some key skills to have: Know your market and research the competition well. Demonstrate confidence in difficult situations and be able to make decisions and see them through. Ability to build a strong team and support them. Encourage entrepreneurship and innovation within your team and provide compensation accordingly. Bring a strategic mindset to the group and show others how to think strategically. Be honest with your team and others. Maintain humility by admitting you don’t know everything. Show empathy to your team to demonstrate you understand the challenge they face. Be accountable for the results even when things go wrong. Spend more than half the time listening rather than talking when engaging the team, customers, and others. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 17 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Krishna Srinivasan, Founding Partner at LiveOak Venture Partners. LiveOak Venture Partners is a venture capital fund based in Austin, Texas. With 20 years of successful venture investing in Texas, the founders of LiveOak have helped create nearly $2 billion of enterprise value. While almost all of LiveOak's investments begin at the seed and Series-A stages, LiveOak is a full life cycle investor focused on helping create category-leading technology and technology-enabled service companies headquartered in Texas. LiveOak Venture Partners has been the lead investor in over 30 exciting high-growth Texas-based companies in the last seven years including ones such as CS Disco, Digital Pharmacist, OJO Labs, Opcity, and TrustRadius. Krishna has been investing in early-stage Texas-based companies and entrepreneurs since 2000. His current and past board involvements at LiveOak include CS Disco, Hive9, Homeward, Imandra, OJO Labs, Rollick, Telestax; Digital Pharmacist, Opcity, and StackEngine. Prior to co-founding LiveOak, Krishna was a Partner at Austin Ventures. There, he worked with companies in enterprise software and infrastructure solutions segments. Prior to that, Krishna was with Motorola where he wrote large-scale optimization software for supply chain planning and worked with a variety of business units on strategic and operational issues. Krishna received his MBA from Wharton where he graduated with the highest academic honors as a Palmer Scholar. He holds an MS in Operations Research from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, having graduated with the highest all-around honors. Krishna currently serves as Chairman of the Miracle Foundation board, an Austin-based organization that supports orphanages in India, and is one of the founding members and a past board member of TiE Austin. He is a board member of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas. Krishna discusses his investment thesis and some of the companies within his portfolio that fit the thesis. He advises startups and investors and shares some of the challenges they face. You can visit LiveOak Venture Partners at www.liveoakvp.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/liveoak-venture-partners, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/liveoakvp?lang=en. Krishna can be contacted via email at krishna@liveoakvp.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/krishnasrinivasan1/, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/krishnasrini?lang=en.
Direct download: Krishna_Srinivasan_of_LiveOak_Venture_Partners.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Mon, 16 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need conflict management skills to run a startup. Conflicts arise among the team members for the following reasons: They come from differing beliefs and viewpoints. In the short term, the founder can separate the team members to reduce the friction. They also come from team members who feel their input has not been heard or valued. The founder can take steps to show how the work and input of the team member has been heard and has importance. The team member believes they’ve received an unfair evaluation. The founder can standardize the evaluation process and show specifically how the team member is doing. The team member believes the manager has unrealistic expectations. The founder can show how others are handling the tasks and suggest ways to accomplish the work. The team member doesn’t receive any feedback and comes to believe their work doesn’t count. The founder can set up regular meetings to review the team members' work and give feedback. The role of the founder is to encourage the team members to join in a collaboration to work through the problem. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Mon, 16 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Kevin Kaylakie, Founder & CEO at SineCera Capital. Located in Austin, Texas, SineCera Capital is a boutique multi-family office and wealth advisory firm focused on delivering sophisticated investments, independent advice, and trusted relationships to a select group of ultra-high net worth clients. SineCera Capital provides families with access to an ecosystem of solutions and skilled professionals that help bring clarity, confidence, and purpose to their financial decision-making process. Kevin has spent the last decade of his career working exclusively with high-net-worth families and business owners. He currently oversees both the investment advisory and wealth management functions for SineCera Capital. He attended Auburn University where he earned his BSBA in International Business. He has also earned the Certified Financial Planner and Certified Private Wealth Advisor, designations through advanced studies at The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. As a native and dedicated Austinite, Kevin has volunteered with many local organizations including Hospice Austin, The Capital Area Dental Foundation, The Seton Fund, Austin Opera, The Mary Claire Project, Emmaus Catholic Parish, and The Diocese of Austin. When he is away from the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their five children. Kevin is an avid reader, marginal golfer, amateur woodworker, and enjoys recharging at his family’s ranch in the Texas Hill Country. Kevin advises investors and entrepreneurs, discusses what excites him now in the industry, the state of investing in startups, and his investment thesis. You can visit SineCera Capital at www.sineceracapital.com/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/sineceracapital. Kevin can be contacted via email at kevin@sineceracapital.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkaylakie. |
Fri, 13 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need human resource skills. Here’s a list of skills to bring to your startup: Can identify talent that matches the company’s strategy. This includes defining the jobs with roles and responsibilities. Ability to find and recruit the right people for the position. This includes assessing the skills candidates have. Can craft employment agreements. This includes defining compensation, benefits, and other concerns such as intellectual property protection. Can set up a program to onboard employees. This includes setting them up with the company systems, introductions to other employees, and access to their workspace. Can set up programs to engage the employees. This includes establishing all-hands meetings, group functions, and weekly social activities. Can set up programs to retain the employees. This includes regularly scheduled performance reviews and employment issue management. Even in the early stages of a startup, these are important steps to take. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Fri, 13 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Ryan Falvey, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Financial Venture Studio. - FVS companies have raised nearly $200m in follow-on capital since they launched in late 2018. - Within 6 months of completing the program, 88% of their portfolio companies raised follow-on capital at an average valuation increase of over 2x. - FVS companies have grown to serve millions of consumers and tens of thousands of enterprise and SMB customers. Financial Venture Studio is also raising its second fund and recently launched its latest cohort of startups. Ryan has spent the last 15 years identifying, supporting, and leading market-changing innovations in technology. Since 2015, he's invested in 40 early-stage fintech firms, which have grown to represent approximately $3 billion in aggregate equity value. Prior to founding Venture Studio, Ryan led the development of the Financial Solutions Lab, a partnership between JPMorgan Chase and the Financial Health Network. Before managing the Lab, Ryan worked with leading tech firms to develop payment solutions at Silicon Valley Bank. He also served as Strategy Group Lead at Enclude Solutions, overseeing global strategy consulting work around mobile-enabled financial products. Ryan discusses how the Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) industry is evolving. He advises investors and entrepreneurs and shares some of the challenges they face.
Direct download: Ryan_Falvey_of_Financial_Venture_Studio.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am CDT |
Thu, 12 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need some technical skills. Here’s a list of skills to bring to your startup:
A founder does not have to be a specialist in technology but should have basic technical skills to run office automation, websites, and other systems. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Thu, 12 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Lucas Caneda, Global Team Lead & Director at Uniqorn Incubator. The largest rural incubator-accelerator of its kind in the world, UNIQORN features an eclectic team of seasoned professionals with a proven track record in taking technology startups from inception all the way to exit. UNIQORN's attractiveness is built around comprehensive incubation and acceleration services for technology startups. They encourage project leaders from all over the world to come and settle in Sarlat, a fascinated ecosystem for startups to succeed. They also act as a potential media investor in the startups they accept to incubate and accelerate. A student of engineering, management, economics, and self-taught in nutrition and fitness, Lucas has always had a very keen interest in business, entrepreneurship, and personal development He is a professional rugby player for Sarlat Rugby Team. Lucas grew up as a die-hard rugby fan and started playing at the tender age of 5. Despite suffering what many thought would be a career-ending knee injury, he moved to France and built a career as a professional rugby player. After a few years in France, Lucas joined the Sarlat Rugby Team and the incubator's rugby program. You can visit Uniqorn Incubator at https://uniqornincubator.com/, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/uniqorn-incubator/mycompany/. Lucas can be contacted via email at lucas@uniqornincubator.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/lucascaneda/, Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 11 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Lee Shapiro, Managing Partner at 7wireVentures. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, 7wireVentures is dedicated to building and investing in early-stage digital health companies supporting an informed connected health consumer. Prior to stepping in as CFO of Livongo and leading its 2019 IPO, Lee served on the board of the company since its launch, chairing the audit committee and as a member of its compensation committee. During his tenure as CFO, Livongo also had a successful secondary offering, raised $550M in convertible debt, and entered into a merger agreement at the highest valuation of any healthcare technology deal, based on revenue multiples. Lee served as president of Allscripts from 2001 through 2012. He is a co-founder and board member of The World Innovation Network, the University of Chicago Innovation Fund Advisory Committee, and the Samsung Digital Health Advisory Board. Based on his industry experience, he is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and a published contributor to the Forbes Business Council. Lee has been a member of the National Board of Directors of the American Heart Association for a number of years and is currently its treasurer. Lee earned his JD degree from The University of Chicago Law School and a BS in Accounting from The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. You can visit 7wireVentures at www.7wireventures.com, via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/7wire-ventures, and via Twitter at www.twitter.com/7wireventures?lang=en. Lee can be contacted via email at lee@7wireventures.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/leeshapiro/. Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Wed, 11 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need some accounting skills. Here’s a list of skills to bring to your startup: Accounting vs. bookkeeping - bookkeeping is entering revenues and expenses into the proper accounts. Accounting is generating the income statements and balance sheets, along with filing tax returns. Accounting methods - know the difference between cash vs. accrual accounting. Cash-based accounting recognizes revenues when it is received, while accrual accounting recognizes it when it is earned. Recurring revenue businesses need to watch for this as annual subscriptions should be recognized over each month the service is provided. Record keeping - you should be able to enter transactions, reconcile accounts, pay vendors, and review outstanding invoices. Have an accountant set up the system with the chart of accounts, but know how to run the system and read the reports. You should be able to calculate your runway, cash burn, and cash balance at all times. Payroll taxes - you should know how payroll taxes work and how they impact your cash flow. Income taxes - you should know the taxes you’re required to pay and when and how that impacts your cash flow as well. Workforce commission - you should know how the workforce commission works for your area and the laws around it. Basic accounting is important in understanding how to generate and read the documents that show the health of your business. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |
Tue, 10 August 2021
In this episode, Hall welcomes Gerard van Swieten, Managing Partner at LvS Partners. Mr. van Swieten is a Dutch national and has been working and living in China/Asia for 12+ years. He has extensive experience in cross-border trade and investment in FMCG, manufacturing, IT, and finance. Before founding LvS Partners, Mr. van Swieten was a partner at Mandarin Hill Capital and IJK Capital. During his tenure at both Mandarin Hill Capital and IJK Capital, Mr. van Swieten led the China expansion for multiple portfolio companies in solar, healthcare IoT, and media and entertainment sectors. Prior to that he served as Head of Legal of BRF SA for Asia, Europe and Africa after having worked as an attorney in Amsterdam at Clifford Chance and in Shanghai at HIL. Mr. van Swieten holds a Masters in Dutch law from Maastricht University, a Masters in Chinese law from Hong Kong University, and an MBA from Tsinghua-MIT Sloan. Gerard discusses expansion investment, advantages of this strategy over other value-added strategies, the primary trend in Asia/China expansion for ‘Western Companies’, and changes he expects to see in the coming 12 months. You can visit LvS Partners at www.lvspartners.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/lvs-partners. Gerard can be contacted via email at gerard@lvspartners.com, and via LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gerard-van-swieten Music courtesy of Bensound. |
Tue, 10 August 2021
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders need some financial skills. Here’s a list of skills to bring to your startup:
For startup founders, these are the basic skills you’ll need to master to run your business in the early days. For more episodes from Investor Connect, please visit the site at: http://investorconnect.org Check out our other podcasts here: https://investorconnect.org/ For Feedback please contact info@tencapital.group Music courtesy of Bensound |